The Theif and the Thorn
by Author of Doom Earth
Summary: Rachel has hated Gambit ever since her arrival to the X-Mansion, Remy has loved Thorn since the moment he saw her. Now they are sent to New Orleans to investigate the possible murder of the Thieves Guild's King-and Remy's adoptive father!Sparks will fly!
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the X-Men or any of the familiar characters-they belong to Stan Lee and Marvel. I do, however have Gambit locked up in my closet and refuse to let him go! He's MIIIIIIIIIINE all MIIIIIIINE!!!!!!!!!! Wooohoo! But seriously, don't sue me cuz I am not making anything off of this. ï Rachel is my own creation and I own her! Well, actually I kinda am her... but whatever. Erin, who is mentioned is my best friend's char, just so ya know. Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter one:** **All I have to do is dream**

The tall, sinewy mutant with red on black eyes and more charm than a fairytale prince found himself lying naked in the woods. The grass and wild flower beds were soft to the touch, feeling softer, gentler, than any pillow he had ever lay on. He was reluctant to arise, but his curiosity won control, making him examine this surreal forest.

Under normal pretenses, Remy LeBeau would find himself alarmed and uncomfortable. However, at this moment, he couldn't think of anything more relaxing and safe. The foliage grew wild and free, reaching up to the star-studded night sky and the entire place seemed surreal with nature's unmarred beauty.

He gave a deep, relaxing sigh and closed his eyes, listening to the soft winds rustling through the leaves. He could feel the relaxing sensations of this utopia in every fiber of his being, making him feel more serene than his torturous life had ever allowed him to feel.

And then he saw her. The moon made her ivory skin glow in an ethereal manner; her long black hair shone with the light of the moon and stars. When the object of his infatuation looked at him, Remy could feel himself melting into her deep brown pools of serenity. She wore green, yet not in her usual way. The plants she shared a bond with were woven tightly around her heavenly frame. Rachel Scarsburough was the most beautiful gift that the disgruntled Cajun had ever beheld before. The way she moved with cat-like grace, her hips swaying as the branches in the wind while she danced in the moonlight.

'This is her _world_, ' He realized. Remy reached out to touch her; she must have only been a foot away from him by now. He could almost feel the beautiful skin on her cheek when she ran. Rachel sped off with a fearful look, almost like a doe, swift and beautiful. He ran after her; the hunter, a lonely wolf hungry for her When he had finally gained on her and reached out towards her once more, she turned into a rowan tree, escaping his touch just as Daphne had once escaped that of Apollo.

He gazed in horror as the heavenly utopia melted away out of existence, ending finally with Rachel herself. Remy searched frantically for anything, calling for her to come back!

But she was gone.

He awoke with a start in his airplane seat, getting the attention of the raven-haired beauty seated next to him. She looked up from her book with a raised brow.

" Bad dream?" She entreated. He wiped his eyes to make sure he was really there.

" Oui, Belle. Very bad." She frowned and glanced down.

" Was I in it? Your dream?"

"Yes," He admitted. "You were." His voice grew somber and low.

"Sorry." She said, for lack of something better to say. She then turned back to her book.

It was no secret to the other X-Men that Gambit and Thorn were destined for each other. They had spent the last two years since her arrival to the X-Mansion at each other's throats, fighting over the most pointless subjects. Rachel hated the constant come-ons and flirting that she received from the Cajun pervert and Remy could never take the oh so subtle hints. Remy hated the fact that she was had been dating Piotr since her arrival, his jealousy obvious to the others. He had broken up with Rogue in effort to keep pursuing the brown-eyed bombshell. But Rachel hadn't been able to completely dismiss all of the Cajun's charm...

He looked over as she sat next to him, surveying what he couldn't have. Even while sitting, you could tell that she was tall for her age, her legs long and elegantly shaped. She wore a pair of macro me sandals, revealing her toenails to be painted a dark green. Her dark blue jeans hugged her hips perfectly. Her shirt was a tank top with a dark green handkerchief pattern that had wrinkled her bellybutton when she sat. Her long ebony curls hung loose over her shoulders with the front pieces held back by a clip. She had always had a large array of jewelry, several silver hoop earrings, her favorite anklet, a silver rose choker, a few choice rings and enough black jelly bracelets to cover her arms. The little silver hoop in her bellybutton showed through from the hem of her shirt and he laughed to himself. Her parents would flip out if they had seen how much she had changed since her arrival to the Institute when she was sixteen. The nose dot alone would send them off the edge. It didn't matter to him what changed about her because he loved her. He loved her and she hated him.

He frowned deeply. They had at least two more hours on the flight; he may as well get it off his chest.

" Do you 'ate Remy?"

" What?" She was shocked by the randomness of the question.

" D'y' 'ate Remy, Belle?" He repeated.

"Yes," She frowned. "I really think I do."

"Why?" He swallowed a lump in his increasingly hoarse and dry throat.

" Honestly?" She sighed. "I don't quite understand why." She took a deep breath, placing a bookmark in her book. "Ever since I've met you, you've given me every reason to _loathe_ you. You're **perverted**, _offensive_, **_insensitive_**, and the **_worst womanizer_** that I have _ever_ had the misfortune to meet! You _grope_ me and try to separate me and my _boyfriend_, for what _reason_?!" He gave her a hurt look.

"Remy sorry, Chere. He wont bother y'any mo'." She shook her head.

" And the _worst_ part of it all is that sometimes, you make me forget all the bad things. Sometimes I feel like you're the most _wonderful_ person on the face of the earth." She gazed into his eyes, holding them with her own. "And times like now, when you're so... helpless, all that I want to do is comfort you..."

"Dat don't make any sense." He chuckled, giving her a small, good-natured smile

"Don't you see? Remy, I hate you because... because..." She turned away. " Because I'm afraid I might actually like you more than I'm comfortable with."

"But y'do 'ave strong feelin's fo' Remy, right?" He felt his heart swell with hope

"I don't know what kind of feelings I have for you." She admitted solemnly. There was an awkward silence in which both shifted uncomfortably, purposely avoiding each other's gaze. "So, what's New Orleans like? I've never been there..." She attempted to break the awkward silence that followed. The subject seemed to be a great source of conversation and Remy spent the rest of the plane ride telling Raye about his hometown.

A/N: Well. I hope y'all liked it. If I get any good feedback I'll put the next chapter up. This is actually a pretty long story that I have been writing since January and I finally got around to typing it. I have a bad habit of writing and not typing things out. Thanks all you readers!

Raye


	2. Home sweet home

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men, Gambit or even Jean-Luc LeBeau!(YUCK! Who'd _want_ to?!) If I did own them- I'd be one heckuva happy_, **rich**_ teenage girl! Don't sue me cuz I'm Jewish and I will win!!! HAHAHAHAHA! And yes, Gambit is still locked up, but I found a better place than my closet...

Gambit: spits out dust bunnys "Why _under_ de bed?!"

Earth: "Duh, cuz Mom'll _find_ you in the bathroom sink!"

Enjoy and PLEASE review!

Rachel looked on in awe as they walked into the heart of New Orleans.

"Y'like wot y'see?" He smirked, noticing that her mouth was slightly agape.

"Yeah huh. This place is _incredible_... did you really grow up on these streets?" She asked with incredulity.

" Sho did, Chere. Fo' most of dis Cajun's life." He pointed to a street that they needed to turn on. "Dat's de corner where Remy picked Jean-Luc's pocket. After dat, 'e adopted dis ol' Creole an'..." He stopped what he was about to say.

" And what?" Curiosity lit up her deep brown eyes.

" Lots of tings, Chere. "He frowned. "Lots of tings..." He stopped in front of a café. "Let's get somethin' t'eat, we almost dere anyways." He suggested.

" Okay." There was sadness in his voice and his manner. "Remy..?"

" Don' ask, Belle, don' ask."

Julien Bodreaux, heir to the assassin's guild, slipped unnoticed behind a corner. He watched his old enemy and the woman that accompanied him with profound interest.

" Any word from de famille yet?" He asked a fellow assassin.

" Jus' dis note fo' y'." He handed the man an envelope. Julien read it with a smirk.

" Dis wos _exactly_ wot I wos waitin' fo'..." He grinned and left the café.

"Chere, promise Remy dat you'll be _careful_ 'round 'ere. Dere are very _dangerous_ people in Nawlins an' dey don' all play by de _rules_..."

" Like _you_? I can take care of myself, _Gambit_." She scowled. "Need I _remind_ you that I..."

"As much as Remy'd like t'_lose_ an argument t'y', skip de act an' jus' listen t' Remy- _please_." He silenced her.

" Fine." She took a sip of her coffee and nearly spat it out.

" Too strong fo' y'?" He smiled.

" No! Who puts cayenne in coffee?!" She cringed. "I absolutely hate spicy food." The look on her face made him chuckle.

" Y' can be so cute..."He said absently. Lucky for him she either didn't hear his comment or chose to ignore it. "All de food in Nawlins is like dat, Chere." He informed her. "Y' may as well get used t' it."

" This trip just gets better and better." She quickly downs the mug full of the revolting brew in efforts to avoid the taste. " Alright, let's go see if your father's okay." She said as she rose.

"Y'never cease t'amaze, do y'Chere?" He joked good-naturedly. "Let's go."

He led her to a large, old-fashioned looking house and stopped in front of the door, knocking in a strange sort of pattern.

"Chere, welcome to de Nawlin's Tieves Guild." The door opened and she was pulled in by a bunch of hands.

A/N: Hello all! Thank you for reading my story! If you review, I'll send you your very own flying minimuffin! LOL. Next chappie'll come out soon!

Raye


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